Kingdom of Straelka (A Different Path)
The Kingdom of Straelka, otherwise known as the "Eastern Nation" by those who live in the Empire, is a massive nation that is separated from the Empire by a large ocean. Overview The Kingdom of Straelka is a world superpower that has lasted for almost just as long as the Empire, boasting vast territories and resources. It’s capital city, Cinigraed, is enormous and is concentrated mainly within a now dormant volcano that offers it exceptional protection against attacks by Danger Beasts and, if it ever occurs, hostile foreign nations. The volcano itself rises at least 4,200 feet, so to reach the capital city a series of stairways and roads were carved out into the side of the volcano in a criss-cross fashion, with each being guarded by a series of defensive barriers, pillboxes and guard stations. Beyond the main portion of the capital city rests a sprawling city situated at the base of the volcano that includes factories, urban houses and other various types of buildings. The entire city including the volcano is a massive stone wall that is constantly kept under guard and has never fallen once, the capital city being reputed as the “Impregnable Fortress” for its defenses. History The Kingdom of Straelka was founded by a man named Bismarak, a former resident of the Empire who was a personal friend of the First Emperor and a member of his suppression forces. As a gift the First Emperor gave him the Teigu Holy Eight: Claíomh Solais, and later on Bismarak left the Empire for the Eastern Lands, desiring to create his own nation. Upon arriving in the Danger Beast ridden lands, he used the Trump Card of Claíomh Solais to carve away and transform the mountainous landscape of the Eastern Lands, the technique eventually being named “Mountain Cutter” for this very reason. Other people from the Empire eventually migrated to the newly created nation and helped it to grow and prosper, the Kingdom of Straelka rising in power until it was equal to the Empire in resources and military strength. As time went on and the Royal Family expanded beyond that of Kaiser Bismarak, hundreds of years later Kaiserin Vermillion heard of the civil war raging within the Empire and wanting to ensure her nation’s well being remained intact, she initiated the construction of the defensive emplacements around the capital city and trained the legions of soldiers under the command of the Lord Commander, the highest military rank within Straelka, in ways to deal with Teigu users and also initiated a policy of isolationism, with only a trade agreement and mutual understanding of one another connecting Straelka to the Empire and other nations. Since then however this trade agreement has become null and void, and the two nations have drifted so far apart that they hardly communicate with one another. Culture The Kingdom of Straelka, much like the Empire, has a very diverse culture due to its massive size. Its citizens all live within the many cities dotting the landscape, with several other farming communities existing in between these. A majority of the population however lives within the capital city. Thanks to the fair ruling done by the Kaisers and Kaiserins throughout history, the Kingdom has enjoyed an almost 1000 year-long era of peace and prosperity, with the only noticeable conflicts being those with hostile Danger Beasts that wonder too close to the walls of the cities. The dominant religion within the Kingdom is Lucianism, focused around the god Lucius and that to attain power one must free their mind and openly pursue knowledge. Government As the name implies, the Kingdom of Straelka is an absolute monarchy where the Kaiser and/or Kaiserin’s word is law. The nation however is not run by them alone, for they have a group of advisers devoted to assisting them called the Royal Ten, a prominent member being the Lord Commander, the leader of all military forces of the Kingdom aside from the Kaiser and/or Kaiserin. The current rulers of Straelka are Kaiser Alestrai and Kaiserin Venice and the Straelka Military is led by Lord Commander Wilhem. The daughter of the Kaiser and Kaiserin, Camilla Allegrie, is also the Princess of Straelka, the next in line to the throne and the current wielder of Claíomh Solais. Military The Kingdom of Straelka has a military similar structure to the Empire in that it is organized into three specific divisions, the Royal Army, the Royal Navy, and the most powerful, the Royal Air Suppression Forces. There are also several sub-divisions within the main three, with the Royal Army containing the Artillery Division and the Mechanized Division, and the Royal Navy with the Amphibious Assault Squad. A separate sub-faction of the military also exists called the Indigo Guard, which is commanded personally by the Lord Commander, who is also the leader of the entire Straelka Military, that act as the guards for the Royal Palace and Royal Family. There is at least one castle fortress within each city, but the largest concentration of troops is always based within a large castle fort located within the capital city of Cinigraed named the Citadel. The Royal Army predominately utilizes swords, spears and other weapons of the like, the Artillery Division utilizes a variety of long-range siege warfare weapons such as steam-powered trebuchets and cannons, and the Mechanized Division uses steam-powered tanks reminiscent of caterpillars with sloped and segmented armor that enable it to move fluidly around the battlefield. The Royal Navy operates a decently sized fleet of steam-powered warships that are capable of transporting large amounts of troops and tanks as well as being equipped with trebuchets that fire explosive-tipped projectiles. The final branch, the Royal Air Suppression Forces are considered the strongest due to the fact their fleet is comprised of heavily armored airships capable of dropping troops down onto a battlefield from above and wreaking havoc on the enemy with their long-range flamethrower and steam-powered projectile launchers. Due to the fact the only Teigu the Kingdom of Straelka possesses is Claíomh Solais, every soldier within the military is trained to deal with Teigu users, this fact definitely apparent with the Indigo Guard since they are practiced in the Engel Style of fencing taught by the Royal Family. Foreign Relations Diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Straelka and the rest of the nations of the world have changed drastically over time, with Straelka at its founding possessing good ties with the Western Nations, the Northern Tribes and the Empire. However, under the rule of Kaiserin Vermillion, in order to safeguard her nation and ensure its survival she instituted a policy of isolationism and cut off nearly all ties with their neighbors across the ocean, and since then the Kingdom has rarely spoke or traded with anyone outside their border. Their attitude with the Empire has also changed to the point the general populace as a whole have a mutual dislike for the current regime and its corrupt politicians, which is why the Jaegers were able to find a temporary home there with the Royal Family since they were rogues.